The journey with Ruan Mei was unexpectedly smooth as they arrived at the laboratory.
Along the way, they didn't encounter any rogue swarms that had wandered out, nor any of those peculiar sentient snacks.
However, once inside the incubation bay, Sylvia spotted the little treats drifting in a deep slumber.
They weren't quite the "cute" she remembered from the game. Seeing creatures that looked exactly like dumplings and pastries in the flesh stirred a complicated feeling in Sylvia's chest.
Their skin was smooth and elastic, much like dough, yet they didn't truly resemble food; one look was enough to tell they were living, breathing biological entities.
"What is it? Do you like them?"
Noticing Sylvia lingering by the creations, Ruan Mei stopped in her tracks, assuming she had piqued her interest.
"If you fancy them, I can give them all to you. Consider it a bonus, outside of our agreed compensation."
"...I mean, I do like them, but I have one burning question." Sylvia brushed her fingers against the glass casing, giving Ruan Mei a wry look.
"When you were making these, you were trying to cultivate 'geniuses,' right? And yet... you chose such a 'cutesy' form for them?"
It felt like there was a hidden layer to Ruan Mei, a strange contrast in her nature. It was just a pity that her softer side was reserved only for herself, never shown to the outside world.
Sylvia kept these thoughts to herself, but seeing her hesitant expression, Ruan Mei likely gathered the gist of what she was thinking.
"The form of a lifeform does not dictate the birth of a genius. It is precisely because of their unique state that they possess experimental value. Though, in terms of results, they were failures."
Ruan Mei averted her gaze from the discarded specimens and began walking toward the upper levels. Seeing that she wasn't keen on pursuing the topic, Sylvia shrugged and followed behind.
Finally, they reached the most critical area: the laboratory dedicated to cultivating an Emanator of Propagation.
The silent, desolate lab gradually hummed to life as Ruan Mei swiped her ID card. She expertly initialized the equipment, and before long, an image flickered onto the screen in front of Sylvia.
It was... a massive cocoon.
Ruan Mei's fingers trailed lightly across the projection screen, her expression betraying a rare glimmer of appreciation for a masterpiece.
"Experimental log, second trial—"
As Ruan Mei's voice rang out, the laboratory's recording function activated, capturing Sylvia's silhouette within the frame as well.
"Following the formal launch of Herta's Simulated Universe: Swarm Disaster, even the first test run yielded a wealth of additional data regarding the Swarm King."
Ruan Mei spoke with an icy detachment while her hands danced across the instruments.
"The data is exquisite. It is a rare occasion where I realized my own oversights before the project was even completed..."
Ruan Mei's movements were ceaseless, and Sylvia made sure not to disturb her. She simply watched that terrifying, gargantuan cocoon, which throbbed with the steady rhythm of a heartbeat.
Under Ruan Mei's constant adjustments and modifications, it grew increasingly formidable.
Sylvia wasn't sure exactly what kind of data her previous run in the Simulated Universe had provided Herta and Ruan Mei, but it seemed to be even more radical than she had imagined.
After all, as Ruan Mei said herself, she rarely felt the need to overhaul an experimental sample once the parameters were set.
That bug's natural lifespan was less than a minute.
Sylvia suddenly felt a surge of curiosity regarding her [Riding EX] skill. If she could tame it while it was still breathing, could she make it survive?
Well... before that, I need to make sure I can actually beat the damn thing.
If it were the original strength, Stelle could barely tank it; the bug's power hadn't been entirely off the charts. But now—
Sylvia shot a glance at Ruan Mei, who was still murmuring to herself: "...I am certain it will be closer to that existence than I originally anticipated. If its life could be sustained, perhaps it could truly become an Emanator."
Armed with the new data, Ruan Mei actually entertained the thought of eliminating the inherent biological defects of this lab-grown Swarm.
However, her rationality acted as a tether to her more frantic impulses.
"A pity. Herta and Screwllum would never allow such a specimen to exist on the Space Station. For the sake of the Simulated Universe project's continuation, I must abandon that attempt."
"..."
Sylvia's heart skipped a beat just listening to her. She was reminded once again that the woman standing before her was truly, utterly mad.
She didn't care how much disaster her experiments might cause or how many people they might affect. Ruan Mei only cared if her actions would interfere with her other experiments.
Sylvia even wondered if the only reason Ruan Mei conducted these tests on Herta's turf was due to a lingering shred of conscience.
Otherwise, if they were on some desolate, backwater planet, Ruan Mei surely wouldn't have hesitated to carry out that forbidden modification.
After an unknown amount of time, Ruan Mei finally ceased her operations. Having just emerged from a deep experimental trance and having gone far too long without food, she felt a wave of dizziness.
She instinctively reached out to steady herself against Sylvia, leaning her head against the other woman's shoulder.
"...My apologies. I forgot to eat."
While a beautiful, fragrant woman had just tumbled into her arms, Sylvia couldn't help but wonder if Ruan Mei was playing her. Had she not even modified her own body to avoid such trivialities?
The doubt lingered in Sylvia's mind, left unsaid.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the screen, the cocoon looked brimming with vitality, growing more active by the second.
It was a strange way to describe it, but in Sylvia's eyes, the thing truly felt like it was undergoing a "metamorphosis." It was hard to imagine just how powerful it would be once it hatched.
"How much longer until this thing pops?"
"No more than three days at the latest. After the optimizations, both its vitality and growth rate have been significantly enhanced."
"..."
Sylvia fell silent. She really had gone and created a "final boss" tier threat, hadn't she?
However, hearing Ruan Mei talk about it actually piqued Sylvia's interest in the bug. Specifically regarding her [Riding EX] skill.
When she assimilated a creature, the captured being would receive a boost akin to an evolutionary breakthrough.
As luck would have it, Sylvia had recently acquired a surge of power from Abundance.
She planned to use [Riding EX] to make that bug her own property.
Once reinforced by the power of Abundance, who knew if the bug could break through the "life countdown" Ruan Mei had engineered?
It was worth a shot. Besides, Ruan Mei might not even be around to watch when the time came.
"Since we've reached a stopping point, why don't we talk about my payment?"
Ruan Mei might be... well, herself, but there was no denying that in the field of biology, she was likely at the very top of the meta.
Sylvia wanted Ruan Mei to research the Scions of Long and the path of Permanence.
If the Path of Permanence truly meant an unending evolution toward the form of a Dragon, then Sylvia's next stage should be Draconic Transformation. But did that transformation simply mean turning into a dragon?
The Vidyadhara weren't the only dragon-kin in the universe; there were plenty of species born with dragon-like forms.
Yet those beings weren't necessarily stronger than a High Elder. Sylvia knew far too little about Permanence.
She needed help, and Ruan Mei was exactly the person who could provide it.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.